How to Write a Short Story

📖 How to Write a Short Story – كيف تكتب قصة قصيرة

🌟 1. What is a short story?

A short story is a short piece of writing that tells a complete event or experience.
It usually has a few characters, one main setting, and a single conflict or problem.

القصة القصيرة هي نص أدبي يروي حدثًا واحدًا أو تجربة قصيرة.
تتضمن عادة شخصيات قليلة، مكانًا واحدًا، و مشكلة رئيسية واحدة.

🧱 2. The Structure of a Short Story – بنية القصة القصيرة

🟢 1. Title (العنوان)

Choose a title that is short, interesting, and related to the story.
Example: The Secret Door, Lost in Marrakech, The Last Exam

العنوان يجب أن يكون قصيرًا وجذابًا ويعبر عن فكرة القصة.

🟢 2. Introduction / Beginning (المقدمة أو البداية)

Introduce:

• Setting (الزمان والمكان): where and when the story happens

• Characters (الشخصيات): who the story is about

🖋 Example:

It was a cold night in December. Sara was waiting at the bus stop, holding her small red bag.

بداية القصة تُعرّفنا بالمكان والزمان والشخصيات.

🟢 3. Conflict / Problem (المشكلة أو الصراع)

This is the main event or challenge that makes the story interesting.
(هنا يظهر الحدث الرئيسي أو المشكلة التي تُعطي القصة معناها.)

🖋 Example:

Suddenly, she realized that her phone was missing. She started to panic.

🟢 4. Climax (الذروة)

The most exciting or emotional part of the story — where the problem reaches its peak.
الذروة هي اللحظة الأكثر توترًا وإثارة في القصة.

🖋 Example:

Sara ran back to the café, hoping to find her phone. But it was gone.

🟢 5. Resolution / Ending (الخاتمة)

The story comes to an end — the problem is solved or left open for imagination.
النهاية تُظهر كيف انتهت القصة أو تترك القارئ يتخيل النهاية.

🖋 Example:

Just as she was about to cry, a man appeared with her phone in his hand and a warm smile.

✍️ 3. Writing Tips – نصائح لكتابة قصة جيدة

1. Use past tenses (استعمل أزمنة الماضي):

   • Simple past: She went, He saw

   • Past continuous: She was waiting

   • Past perfect: He had forgotten

2. Use linking words (كلمات الربط):

   • Then, after that, suddenly, while, because, finally, in the end…

3. Use adjectives and adverbs to describe feelings and setting.

   • A dark, lonely street.

   • She walked slowly and carefully.

4. Keep it short — around 120–150 words.

💡 4. Example Short Story

Title: The Lost Wallet

It was a sunny afternoon. Ahmed was walking home from school when he saw a small black wallet on the ground.
He picked it up and opened it. There was a lot of money inside and an ID card. For a moment, he thought about keeping it.
Then he remembered his father’s advice: “Always do the right thing.”
Ahmed went to the address on the ID and returned the wallet to its owner. The man thanked him with tears in his eyes.
Ahmed felt proud — honesty was the best reward.